The Guild Master of the Vesper Merchant Guild

UP: Drachenfels

    To the general populace it appeared to be another typical afternoon in the city of Vesper. To a trained observer, however, it was clear that something important was occurring within the city�s Merchant Guild Hall. The entire Guild was present this afternoon, having heard the day before that a decision regarding the request to open an official Market in the Town of Vesper was to be presented by the High Court of Britannia. Travelers along the road to Vesper had reported that a Herald of the High Court had been seen riding towards the city that morning, so it would be a question of only a few hours before a final proclamation would be made.

When the Herald finally strode into the Great Hall of the Merchant Guild, it was obvious that he had had no time to rest since his arrival in Vesper. After straightening his shirt, the representative from the High Court spread out a scroll he had up to this point clenched tightly in his hands and began to read its contents to the gathered crowd.

�By order of the High Court of Britannia, I am glad to inform all citizens of Vesper on the response to the request by the Vesper Merchants� Guild to establish an official Market in the Township of Vesper on the Trammel facet.

The presiding issue in the High Court�s decision to grant the Merchant Guild�s request was that of the Market causing a general nuisance to nearby businesses and the populace as a whole. In lieu of this concern, the Court has studied both the formal plans and rules of procedure set forth in the Merchant Guild�s Market Charter, as well as the charts and diagrams of the planned Market Center. It is the Court�s judgment that the times, organization, and dimensions outlined in the Merchant Guild�s Market Charter do not and will not cause undue nuisance to the city of Vesper, and, by virtue of this fact, pass muster under the prevalent guidelines of Trade and Exchange in the Kingdom.

The High Court hereby grants Vesper the rights of construction, implementation, and maintenance of the Market Center as proposed in the Charter laid before the court by the Vesper Merchants� Guild on this date.

Let it be also known that whoever out of boldness decides to oppose our decree, or by temerity to break it, shall be in our mercy and shall pay due fines in the form of gold coin to the Court. And in order that all rulings and dictates we have decreed in the matter may be accepted as genuine and be faithfully observed, we have ordered this charter to be written and to be sealed by the impression of our seal.

This is ruling of the High Court of Britannia.�

After he spoke these words in a clear and resounding voice, the Herald of the High Court of Britannia put the scroll back in his pack and went to his horse.

The entire Merchants� Guild sat in complete silence, still unable to speak despite their excitement at the approval of their formal request. But after some minutes, the entire Guild broke at once into spontaneous celebration at the wonderful news. Having an official Market in the city of Vesper would undoubtedly attract more merchants to the area and increase the city�s overall revenues. T�was indeed a day to celebrate, with much work still to be done!